Basic general information is presented in eight chapters: #1 What is a Biome?, #2 Landscape and Climate of the Coniferous Forest, #3 Plants Growing in the Coniferous Forest have Adapted, #4 Animals Living in the Coniferous Forest have Adapted, #5 Environmental Threats, #6 Biodiversity at Risk, #7 The Future of the Coniferous Forest, and #8 Conservation Challenge. Each chapter averages 4 pages in length, generously sprinkled with labeled photos of coniferous forest animals, “Words to Know” which match the glossary section word for word, “Word Exploration”, and “Did You Know?” trivia.

The ratio of picture to text appears to be equal. If a picture is worth a thousand words, the readers will love this form of information!

This is a collection of 16 illustrated poems, each about a different bug.  My favorite aspects of this book were the wonderfully colorful and descriptive illustrations and the facts section in the back about each of the featured bugs.  I thought the poems were OK, but may not really engage a young reader.

This is a fun retelling of the classic Gingerbread Boy story.  This book is set in the southwest where Arana the spider is making gorditas one day.  One gordita comes alive, and runs off across the desert.  She encounters a series of local critters who would like nothing more than to gobble her up, but she’s faster.  She does meet her match in the wise owl, Buho, who outwits her and eats her for lunch.  The illustrations are beautiful and exciting and the author uses spanish words for each of the animals to name them.  There is a recipe for gorditas in the back as well as an English/Spanish glossary.  I really enjoyed this fast paced story, familiar yet new.  I’ve had repeat requests for it at story time so it appeals to the kids as well.

Pakistan is a country book from the Enchantment of the World series recently published by Scholastic.  I chose it because I’m updating our collection of country books.   I researched the various country series available at this time and found that this series best met my needs for my K – 8 school library patrons.  The photographs are beautiful, engaging and relevant to the clearly written and organized text and there are thematic maps, timelines and graphics to further enhance the reader’s research.  A wide variety of topics are covered, including history, wildlife, climate, government, topography, culture and customs, national and international politics, religion, education, cuisine, and current issues.  There is a table of contents, index and further resources page.  I also enjoyed the “Meet the Author” pages which was interesting.  With Pakistan in the news so much in recent years, it is great to have a resource for those students who are interested in knowing more about this amazing country and it’s people.

This non-fiction book offers exercises for teens that develop athleticism related to various sports.  Each chapter focuses on a different part of the body (feet, legs, hips and core, upper body and arms) beginning with the demands of particular sports and relating the exercises to developing the strength and speed to excel in those sports.  The exercises are presented clearly with step-by-step instructions, a list of necessary props as well as some possible modifications.  The importance of staying hydrated, warm up and cool down, and safety are emphasized and explained throughout the text.  The photography is engaging and related to the text.  Sports stars as well as teens of various ethnic backgrounds are featured.  There is a table of contents, index, glossary and resource pages.  This book was well-written and engaging.  I think it will be an asset to our students who enjoy sports and will encourage healthy physical activity.

Six different items are described using proximity, temperature, and texture. Clues for each item are given on the left page (7″ X 7″) . The extra long (7″ X 14″) folded right page has 4 pictures for the reader to choice from before opening the fold (gatefold) to reveal the answer.

Items include: toy bunny, building blocks (Lagos), water in the bath, fridge, soap, and tree trunk.

Descriptions include: soft, hard, warm cold, slippery, and rough.

Large, simple child-like colorful illustrations which explore a child’s environment command your attention.

Six different items are described using sounds, actions, and setting. Clues for each item are given on the left page (7″ X 7″) . The extra long (7″ X 14″) folded right page has 4 pictures for the reader to choice from before opening the fold (gatefold) to reveal the answer.

Items include: rain, telephone, radio, airplane, vacuum cleaner, and bird .

Sounds include: drip, ring, la,whoosh, buzz, and tweet.

Large, simple child-like colorful illustrations which explore a child’s environment command your attention.